Method and apparatus for making manifold forms



Dec. 5, 1933. F, B. COLE 1,938,447

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MANIFOLD FORMS Filed Oct. 10, 1930 mAa/w ga/z/ Patented Dec. 5, 1933 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MANIFOLD FORMS Fred B. Cole, Norwalk, Ohio, assignor. to The Rotary. Printing Company, Norwalk, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 10, 1930. Serial No. 487,799

7 Claims. (01. 270 41) orrica- This invention relates to apparatus, which is used for the manufacture of manifold forms. One form of such apparatus embodies a cylindrical member, such as a length of rigid pipe as 5 a guide over which the paper web passes. The guide is placed between the roll and the fingers which engage the longitudinally extending weakening lines, and press there-against to effect a longitudinal folding of the paper. It has been found however, that the paper has a tendency to shift laterally along the guide, thus causing the weakening lines to get out of registration with the finger.

To remedy this difliculty, the practice has been to stop the machine, to remove the guide, and to bend it slightly in one direction or the other, in order to compensate for the degree of sidewise movement which the paper has taken. After the adjustment has been made, the guide is put back into place and the machine is again started. If the proper adjustment has not been made, it is necessary to repeat the operation, until the proper degree of curvature is obtained.

This procedure is objectionable, as it necessitates considerable loss of time, and there is no accurate manner of determining the proper extent or direction in which the guide'should be bent. Furthermore, it is objectionable as an adjustment may have to be made many times while a single roll is being unwound, for the paper stretches and is apt to shift laterally at frequent intervals.

The principal object of the present invention therefore, is to provide a device whereby the cur- 3-5 vature of the guide may be accurately and quickly controlled without stopping the machine. In this connection, my invention contemplates the provision of a device which has few working parts, and which may be as readily adjusted in an expe- 4o ditious manner while the paper is in motion.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a diagrammatic view illustrating a method of making manifold forms; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the machine embodying my invention, and Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1, 10 indicates a roll. of paper which is used for making manifold forms.

The web of paper passes over a guide member 11,

and thence downwardly where it is engaged by fingers 12, which act upon the longitudinal weakening lines 13. After the paper is folded longitudinally, it is caused to pass through guide boxes 14, and 15, between which the transfer strips 16 are introduced into the folded forms. This o5 method of making manifold forms is illustrated,

described, and claimed in detail in Patent No. 1,753,764 issued to Louis J. Willard on April 8, 1930.

The present invention is concerned with a method of manipulating the paper while it is in motion so as to maintain the weakening lines in contact with the fingers, and thereby to insure accurate holding of the web longitudinally. I carry out this method by making the guide member 11 flexible, relatively movable with reference to itself and providing means for effecting such relative motion while the web is passing thereover. The preferred manner for obtaining such result is to utilize a flexible member, such as a strip of garden hose of the desired length. This provides, not only the desired flexibility, but also satisfactory means for exerting friction upon the paper.

My invention includes means for moving one. 7 portion of the flexible guide member with referonce to another portion thereof and to this end, I'utilize a relatively stationary member 20, which is disposed beneath the flexible member. Upon the'stationary member, I mount supporting devices 21 which are adapted for slidable and pivotal movement and are also adapted to be locked in any desired position by means of a set screw 22. One end of each member 21 is provided with a cup-shaped jaw 23 into which the flexible member 11 extends, while the opposite end is provided g with a handle 24 for enabling the proper degree of adjustment to be made. By utilizing a plurality of independent adjustingmembers, I am able to shift any part of the flexible member back-v wards or forwards with reference to the paper web, and thereby selectively to control the tension on each edge of the paper. Thus, any tendency which the apermay have to shift laterally can be quickly overcome merely by oscillating the members 21 about the axis of the member20.

I have found that by means of my invention, the lateral shifting of the paper web maybe accurately controlled, and that the degree to which the flexible member'must be bent can be quickly determined without requiring the machine to be stopped. Thus, the longitudinal weakening lines are maintained in contact with the fingers that control the folding operation, and the manufacture of manifold forms is greatly facili' tated.

I claim: 1. A guiding member for a manifold form machine, comprising a flexible member and means for supporting the same, said means being adapted to shift any portion of the member with reference to the remaining portions thereof, whereby the tension of the paper passing over the guiding member may be selectively controlled.

2. A guiding member for a manifold form machine, comprising in combination, a flexible member, a rigid member, a plurality of arms slidably and pivotally mounted on the rigid member, said arms being in operative engagement with the flexible member, whereby any part of the member may be selectively bent with reference to another,

web and normal to the direction of travel of the web, and means for shifting any portion of the member in either direction from said normal.

5. A web guiding device comprising a flexible member, a stationary member, and means for moving any portion of the flexible member in an are about the stationary member.

6, A method of folding a web longitudinally comprising feeding the web over a guide and through folding fingers and selectively moving one part of the guide with reference to any other part ofit while the web is in motion so as to counteract the tendency of the web to shift out of alignment with theflngers.

7 In an apparatus for making manifold forms, the combination of a flexible web guide, and means for shifting any portion of the guide in an arc with reference to any other portion thereof, while the web is moving over the guide.

' FRED B. COLE. 

